Talaia de Son Jaumell – A Majorcan Watchtower

January 2, 2019

If you take a boat for a ride along the coastline of the beautiful Mediterranean island Majorca, you’ll find that one its most mysterious and sometimes iconic features are the watchtowers, like the Talaia de Son Jaumell. Built in the 16th century as for surveillance of both, the sea and the inland, and to protect the island against pirate attacks, they were a vital factor for the security of the islanders. Many of them were built two stories high, and they were equipped with firewood, a cistern, and a cannon. When the guards spotted a pirate ship, they lit the fire. This way, they warned the people nearby as well as guards in the nearby watchtowers who passed the signal on. This way, the ruler in the island’s capital Palma could be alerted quickly.

Today, many towers are mere ruins, possibly because they are often quite remote and difficult to reach. And yet, many tourists hike there because they want to enjoy the magnificent view you often have there.

Talaia de Son Jaumell

Last fall, I had the opportunity to hike to one of those towers myself. The Talaia de Son Jaumell is situated the Es Telégraf, approximately 271 meters above the sea. After having seen from my hotel room every morning for a couple of days, I decided I had to hike there. My hiking guide app, Outdoor Active, told me the path should be relatively easy, except for the last leg of the climb which it described as very steep and challenging which wasn’t an understatement. More often than not I had to climb on all fours to get on.

On the way up, I occasionally stopped and took a couple of photos. Of course, there is some redundancy here, as the angle didn’t change too much during my way up. But I decided to share all of the images with you here because each photo tells a slightly different story.

Talaia de Son Jaumell #1.Capdepera, Majorca, Spain, 2018.I like the minimal approach in this shot. The dark areas hint at some detail just enough make the viewer want to know more. The clouds in the sky convey the notion of the sun without revealing it.

Talaia de Son Jaumell #2.This version gives you a better idea of the climb that was ahead of me.

Talaia de Son Jaumell #3. This is a more dramatic take on the scene. Not only it is more panoramic because its wider angle, but it also features these impressive sun rays, beautifully broken by the clouds.

Talaia de Son Jaumell #4. The same as #3, but zoomed in quite a bit.

Talaia de Son Jaumell #5. Once on my way up, I set up my tripod and took a long exposure. I love the mysticism that comes with it.

Talaia de Son Jaumell #6.With more cloud detail, this version of the image is a little less mysterious but no less beautiful.

Talaia de Son Jaumell #7 Here are two versions of the watchtower, one in horizontal and one in vertical orientation.

Talaia de Son Jaumell #8

Talaia de Son Jaumell #9.Yet another close-up shot of the watchtower. With all context removed from the frame, the deterioration of the building (possibly caused by a lightning strike) becomes the subject of the shot.

The Ghosts of Talaia de Son Jaumell (Talaia de Son Jaumell #10)Of course, I wasn’t the only one up there. In fact, the place was packed with tourists. So, I seized the opportunity and took a backlit frame, rendering the people as ghostly shadows.